1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to latch systems of the type used to releasably maintain a movable closure element in a predetermined position and, more particularly, to a latch system incorporating a pull handle that can be selectively locked through the use of a motor.
2. Background Art
Myriad latch systems currently exist for releasably maintaining movable closure elements in at least one predetermined position. Typically, the closure element will have open and closed states, at least one of which is releasably maintained by the latch system. Closure elements of this type are used in many different environments for both static and dynamic applications. As an example of the latter application, latch systems are used on primary access doors on passenger vehicles, and on other types of vehicles including those used on- and off-road, as in the construction trades and the agricultural industry.
One known design of latch system that is useable as described above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,216, commonly owned herewith. The latch system shown therein is a general application system, including an actuator assembly on one side in the form of a “pull handle”, that can be grasped and repositioned to change the state of a latch assembly from a latched state into an unlatched state. The latch assembly is designed to cooperate with a strike element on a frame relative to which the closure element is guidingly moved. In the latched state, the latch assembly maintains the closure element in its closed position. In the unlatched state, the closure element is allowed to move from the closed position into the open position. Through the pull handle, on the one side of the closure element, the state of the latch assembly can be changed.
More particularly, the actuator assembly consists of a base assembly relative to which the pull handle is selectively repositionable by a user between first and second positions. As an incident of changing the pull handle from its first position into its second position, the latch assembly is changed from its latched state into its unlatched state. The actuator assembly is typically mounted so that a force produced on the pull handle, resulting from the same user motion that repositions the pull handle from its first position into its second position, causes the closure element to be moved from its closed position towards its open position as the repositioning force on the pull handle is continuously applied by a user.
Actuator assemblies of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,216 will normally have a lock feature that both: a) prevents inadvertent repositioning of the pull handle as might detrimentally change the state of the latch assembly into its unlatched state; and b) prevents unauthorized access to a space or compartment through the particular opening bounded by the closure element through repositioning of the pull handle.
Heretofore, the locking of pull handles on actuator assemblies of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,216 has been accomplished manually, through the use of a key. While, for most purposes, the ability to manually lock and unlock the actuator assembly is adequate, there are many situations that may present themselves, or conditions that may be encountered, wherein the manual control is deficient.
Heretofore, the industry has lacked a practical way to incorporate powered locking through a pull handle actuator assembly of the type described above. The industry continues to seek practical and innovative designs that address this yet unmet need.